Bipartisan HBCU Caucus Hosts Preview of Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities (1970 hits)

The Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus hosted a viewing of Stanley Nelson’s film Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Humanities. Mr. Nelson’s film, which chronicles the history and culture of HBCUs, first aired at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and will air publicly on PBS in 2018.

“HBCUs have had an immeasurable impact on American history, culture, and national identity,” said Congresswoman Adams. “They are responsible for building the African American middle class in America, and shaping the minds of countless individuals who have contributed so much to our society, both past and present. A key pillar of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus is to educate our colleagues on the unique challenges HBCUs face and the benefits they offer to us all when their mission is supported. This film highlights these facts, and reminds us of the importance of continued advocacy on their behalf.”

“I am so pleased the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus could partner with the National Endowment for the Humanities to host a screening of Stanley Nelson's Tell Them We Are Rising,” said Congressman Byrne. “It is important that we use every chance we can to highlight both the challenges facing HBCUs and the opportunities they provide to so many Americans.”

NEH Acting Chair Margaret Plympton says, “The National Endowment for the Humanities is proud to have funded this superb and timely film on the founding and continued existence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In Tell Them We Are Rising, director Stanley Nelson expertly presents an important and moving part of the American story.”

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The Bipartisan HBCU Caucus is bicameral with a total of 56 members.

Produced with major support from NEH, Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Historically Black Colleges and Universities spans 170 years of American history. The 90-minute documentary film explores the pivotal role HBCUs have played in the ascent of African-Americans and their families – from slavery to the present day.

Chronicling the full sweep of HBCU history, Tell Them We Are Rising presents the significant contribution HBCUs made to the struggle for freedom and equality for African Americans. Part One explores the early years of higher education for black Americans through Brown v. Board of Education. The second hour centers on the crucial role HBCU students played in the early years of the civil rights movement, the explosion of protests on black campuses in the latter half of the 1960s, and the transformation that effort brought to the student movement, higher education, and American society.

The project is informed by rich and compelling humanities scholarship, and it presents a critical perspective on the people and events that shaped higher education for African Americans and catalyzed social change.
Scholars advising the project: